Asia insights for growing businesses

A local business owner who has expanded her China tourism enterprise across Asia is encouraging small business owners to take the opportunity to learn from industry experts.

The City of Sydney will continue its support of the Asialink Business seminar series, announcing a $30,000 a year sponsorship to provide four business workshops each year for the next three years.

Targeted at small to medium businesses, each free event will bring together around 50 business executives, entrepreneurs and peak bodies to learn new skills for working in Asian markets and tapping into local networks.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the program would continue to support small business owners with practical information and advice from industry experts.

"Even though Sydney is Australia's global city, small businesses can't afford to be complacent about working with our Asian neighbours," the Lord Mayor said.

"By sponsoring the Asialink Business seminar series for the next three years, we are providing our small businesses with the skills and motivation to reach out successfully into new Asian markets."

Andrea Plawutsky is co-founder and director of Amplify Me, a business that helps local businesses attract and welcome Chinese tourists. Ms Plawutsky attended the 'Asia tourist ready workshop' four months ago and has already used the knowledge she gained to expand her business.

"The Asia ready workshop helped broaden my thinking beyond China to look at other Asia markets, such as South Korea, which are important and growing markets for Australian businesses.

"We're helping operators meet a growing demand, especially in the regional areas and small towns that are seeing an increase in Asian tourism," Ms Plawutsky said.

"I took away real insights into better ways of thinking - I've adapted these learnings for my business, I'm using them for client training and it has sparked business development and growth ideas.

"It's also about getting a deeper understanding of each other's cultures so that we can broaden perspectives and open up our business to new ideas and new opportunities."

The 2018-19 Asialink Business event series has been developed with the City's international engagement team and will focus on a range of sectors, including international education, tourism, tech startups and the green economy.

Proposed themes include the value of international education to the tourism sector, China connections and sister-city relationships, and how technology can help Asian cities get cleaner and greener.

For media inquiries or images, contact Belinda Wallis. Phone mobile 0467 810 160 or email [email protected]

For interviews with Lord Mayor Clover Moore, contact Anusha Muller. Phone 0408 494 545 or email [email protected]